《Sunset of the Dragons》Chapter 1: Prologue
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On the continent of Shieldrake, dragons flourished and flew the open skies. The common folk barely knew about the lives of dragons. Dragons were beings that gave life to the surrounding lands, but can also destroy it. Some offered protection to cities and towns, while others razed them. But otherwise, people didn't really know. Humans thought it was a mystery on what dragons thought about.
Many people knew how a dragon would look like. They were a common sight before. Giant lizard-like creatures with wings that could cause the greatest of storms. Breath that could melt steel armor in seconds. Screeches that could be heard from faraway lands. Their shouts can reach to the heavens, reverberating across the lands. Dragons could even sense when others of their kind are nearby.
One thing that many people don't know is that dragons can easily live among people. They are able to morph their bodies into the shape of the common man. They would look like a person, with the exception of scales attached around their neck, arms, and lower body. Even in their human form, they would be able to sprout wings and their tail. Or even breathe out flames. It is unknown what their original form was. Many dragons prefer one state over the other.
Many people have seen dragons flying above, but not many knew much about them. Many are solitary, but few stay in groups.
In Shieldrake, there are four ancient dragons that rule upon the continent. They are the oldest, wisest, and most powerful of all the other dragons across the land. Together, they maintain peace between the common dragons. When needed, the four would meet on top of Mt. Geolith, the highest mountain in all of Shieldrake. There they would discuss any problems or tasks that needed to be dealt with.
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The four ancient dragons are peaceful beings and also want to have a peaceful relationship with humans. However, the relationship between humans and dragons have always been hostile. Some dragons would feed on the livestock of farmers or burn down a village, while some people had become dragonslayers that would hunt down any dragons, good or bad.
This is the story of one such dragon. Called upon by a grand council of dragons. This would be the beginning of the extinction of dragons.
This is the story of the dragon, Akai. Dragons never carry a last name. Only the first. He was considered one of the most unique dragons to have ever lived, but he was young and reckless.
Akai preferred his human form over his dragon. He loved living among people. He knew, of course, that his life would far exceed that of a human, so he never really got attached to anybody. As a child, he was abandoned. Never knowing who is father or mother was. He never let it get to him, though.
Other dragons knew of him. The dragon that excelled in the form of a human.
Akai was extremely talented using a cross-guard sword combined with his ability to sprout wings in human-form.
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Skadi's Saga (A Norse-Inspired Progression Fantasy)
An obscure jarl’s daughter will rise to wield the power of the gods. The old order is collapsing. The Archean Empire devours all in its path, toppling kings, razing cities, and massacring any that oppose it. Sweeping into the north, a land of brutal cold, ragged mountains, and dark myths, they believe their infamous discipline will crush the white-hot rage of its sea reavers and dreaded berserkers. And at first they are right. But their invasion dislodges a pebble that is destined to become an avalanche. When Skadi Styrbjörnsdóttir is forced into exile to escape the Archeans, she begins a journey that will bring her to the attention of the gods, arm her with legendary weapons, and set her against immortal foes. Wielding the power of her ever-growing wyrd, Skadi seeks to avenge her people, and in doing so defy the world-devouring Archean Empire—and one day destroy it. Content Warnings are selected to give me artistic freedom down the road.Release Schedule: 5 chapters per week, Mon-Fri.This web novel is only posted on Royal Road.See my Amazon author page for other works of epic and progression fantasy. World Map
8 134Death: Genesis
When Ezekiel Blackwood dies while trying to donate a kidney to his dying brother, he discovers that he and everyone else that's ever lived has been stuck in limbo until the last of humanity died out. Now, they're all being reborn into a new world filled with levels, stats, and fantastical creatures. Soon after getting an insufficient explanation from an all-knowing dwarf, he finds himself stuck in an underground labyrinthine system of caves populated by trolls, croco-rats, and other monsters. Follow him as he tries to survive and grow stronger. Release Schedule (for now): Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri. Chapters range from between 2000-3500 words (but I try to keep them in the 2500 range).
8 2392The Accidental Archmage - BOOK 9 (THE DRAGON HOUSES)
The Accidental Archmage Series (BETA CHAPTERS) NOTE: DRAFTS OF EARLIER BOOKS (BOOKS 1 to 8) HAVE BEEN POSTED BEFORE ON RRL. THEY ARE NOW ON AMAZON AND HAD ATTAINED BESTSELLER STATUS IN THE FANTASY-MYTHOLOGY GENRE. ACTUALLY, MANY RRL STORIES PUBLISHED ON AMAZON HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME BESTSELLERS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. HOWEVER, AMAZON KDP RULES REQUIRE THAT MOST OF THE DIGITAL CONTENT AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE BE REMOVED. GENRE: CLASSICAL EPIC FANTASY An epic mythological fantasy in another world. Immerse yourself in a grand and dangerous adventure. In a world both familiar and strange. A world where magic and gods still exist. Meet deities, beings, and exiles from Earth’s pantheons. Encounter warriors, huskarls, satyrs, hoplites, dark and evil mages, and strange beings from myths of pre-history up to the age of iron.Match wits with the likes of Loki, Zeus, Athena, Odin, Amun-Ra, Coniraya, Viracocha, and even Dionysus. Escape plots and schemes played by powerful gods of life and death.Find the truth behind the dark and otherworldly beings from the Lovecraft mythos.Play with dire wolves, drakontes, lamias, keres, amphisbaenae, a sphinx, ice giants, creatures of nightmares, empusas, gigas, minotaurs, vrykolakas, jotnar, dokkalfr, to name a few.Survive being in the middle of wars between civilizations and races. Suffer the arrogance and stupidity of gods and men alike. Cross paths with beings who don’t like you. Thor, Ares, and the Incan death god Supay, to name three.Be burdened with a quest to save yourself and your humanity in the brutal and primordial world of Adar.A world where scientific pursuit will get you a lightning bolt or two. Probably five. All at the same time. Book Nine - THE DRAGON HOUSES His beloved Eira rescued, the rogue Titans have been defeated, and Tartarus sealed. Yet as the rising Archmage tries to escape the Forbidden Isle, events have been set in motion that would embroil him once again in the tides of war engulfing Adar. Escaped Titans, a rising power in the South, vengeful adherents of the Elder Gods, and more have him in mind. Least of all, a far from defeated Loki. New players have come to the fore, each with their own purpose in mind. The lustful drive for power, the search for a release of one's soul, and the companions' storied pasts all come to drive the world deeper and further into chaos. Add a powerful demon determined to open a portal to its own dimension. It's enough to drive a mortal man mad. (Cover image used under license) Book Eight - WHERE TITANS WALK Now in the land of the damned below the underworld domain of Hades, Eira awaits the company and battle portends. But first, they have to find the fortress of the Titans. Above them, Loki's war is going well as the internecine war among the pantheons continues. An old foe rises in the south, more powerful than ever. Astrid finds herself the subject of a wife's rage and the murky past of the companions now comes back to haunt them. Yet amidst it all, a dying Elder won't wait as plots and new players bedevil Havard Ulriksson, formerly Tyler West of Earth, now the Archmage of his adopted world. Cover Image used under license from shutterstock.com. Alterations by the writer. Book Seven - DRAGONS AND DEMONS https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08122Y739 An urgent rescue and the path to vengeance are not easy in a magical, myth-filled world. Nasty roadblocks and unexpected complications have a way of rearing their wicked heads along Tyler's route across the dwarven lands and into the infernal realm of Tartarus. More myths and legends cross the First Mage's path as Loki's war and Asag's emergence stir up mortal lands and magical domains. Cover Image used under license from shutterstock.com. Alterations by the writer. Book Six - TARTARUS BECKONS Gifts, curses, and problems. The unfolding of Loki's mad and complicated scheme results in a war between and among pantheons, empires, and kingdoms. From Ymir's Domain down to the far south, conflict engulfs Tyler's world and the magical gate to Tartarus is starting to break open, threatening to add mad Titans and other powerful beings to the chaotic mix. And on the forbidden isle of Banna, a dying enemy awaits. (Note: NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON) Book Five - LOKI'S GAMBIT With the promise of the First Mage not to act against him, Loki now accelerates his plans. A plot millennia in the making, spanning the length and breadth of Adar. Like a spider spinning its web, the trickster god now puts the finishing touches on an audacious scheme. A revolution to change the balance of godly and mortal power in the world. Book Four - VOID LANDS The Void Lands. A place where gods fear to tread. Where strange creatures and hostile beings emerge. A nexus of dimensions, the origins of which are lost in the mists of time. To stop the Aztecha Empire’s march to power and domination of the eastern lands, Tyler West, now a High Mage, must confront and defeat the empire’s mysterious patrons. Beings of incredible might and magical knowledge. An imperative path which leads him right to the Void Lands. Though a few detours are required, each dangerous yet crucial. The only problem is that the Void Lands are on the other side of the continent. And to get there, he may have to ask a favor from the Trickster God himself, the Norse deity known as Loki. Book Three - BLOOD WARS Continuing our lost mage's epic journey through the magical and extremely dangerous world of Adar. Escaping the convoluted schemes of the Greek pantheon, Tyler finds himself with an old acquaintance, the Incan deity Viracocha. His son, the sun god Inti, is dead. With the Aztecah Empire and its powerful pantheon of deities on the bloody road to more conquests, the deity asks for his help. A request he could easily refuse. Except Viracocha is not alone is asking for his aid. Two other pantheons have made their presence known to the young mage. And the Egyptian deities are watching how he will decide the matter. To add to his burdened conscience, the rise and dominance of the Aztecah pantheon would mean a million or more new human sacrifices. Resulting in extremely overpowered bloodthirsty deities. What's a newly minted Elder apprentice mage to do? Involve himself in a blood war? Book Two - GIFTS OF THE GREEKS Tyler's journey continues. New land, misadventures, friends, foes, skills, and knowledge. Confused encounters of the female kind. More deities become aware of Tyler as he continues his quest to survive, reach his potential, and carry out his burden. Amid convoluted plans designed by divine acquaintances of old and newly met gods, what's an ordinary guy from Earth to do?The god of wine wants to be his friend. Ares and his sons are coming to say hello. Book One - RAGNAROK RISING What if you fell through a crack in reality? Like those people disappearing in plain sight you've read about. What if you find yourself in a strangely familiar world? A world full of Earth’s mythological beings, lost civilizations, and people from its primitive and brutal past? Where magical energy still exists. Where gods play games among themselves, with the fate of mortal men as pawns. A land where a sword is deadlier than a five-inch thick contract drawn by a hotshot lawyer. Would you survive? That's Tyler West. Alone, lost and bewildered, the three moons in the sky made it clear he wasn’t on Earth anymore. It’s not a game. It’s real. And there's no coffee, pizza, fries, or his favorite show on HBO. *** All Rights Reserved. 2017/2018/2019/2020. Cover Images are used under license.
8 141Duplicity
Follow the charming yet devious Lyman Leepsky as he and four magical creatures attempt to survive in a small town in an alternate dimension Earth, fighting off demons, debt collectors, and deep ones as they sort out their differences in this adorable slice of life magical adventure strung across two worlds! Yaaaay, friendship!Except... friendship isn't going to heal the uncurable trauma they have. No, that's way too unreasonable.-------------------------------------------------------This stories first couple chapters are pre-written over the course of three months of notes, worldbuilding, well-thought-out planning, and of course, writing. This is the second biggest writing project I've ever undertaken, and I strive to make it my best. I hope you think so too!
8 155Office Days
Follow Captain Monday and the Weekdays team as they fight the good fight against the villainous Weekends. Oh, and file form a33-2 before eoq3. Comes with a dash of The Office and Office Space plus a side of Super Hero satire. Office Days is episodic in nature. So each story is standalone and may vary in length and focus. The Monday Case is the first episode and serves mostly to introduce the characters broadly. Comments get +Rep for effort. This setting was intended to be a comic series but I never found an artist for the job... probably for lack of trying. The "art" is for concept only... it took me far too long to make and it's still all sub-par.
8 168Meet On The Ledge || Greta Van Fleet
Remember that first day? I do. In the car, the windows rolled down, music flowing through the air. I was at peace with everything and everyone. We were family.
8 247